A 52-year-old man in Kerala’s Ernakulam district has been arrested on charges of raping two minor girls, aged three and seven. Police said the accused Unni Thomas abused the two sisters several times, starting January, when they went to the compound of his house. “The girls used to play at Thomas’ compound during the day, when his wife and daughters were away. The girls recently disclosed this to their parents,” a police source said.

Meanwhile, a young Catholic leader in Manathavady diocese was arrested on charges of raping a minor girl, who later delivered a child. The accused, Sijo George, is the former diocese coordinator of Kerala Catholic Youth Movement (KCYM), a youth organisation of the Church.

Police said George entered a relationship with the minor after promising to marry her. The 17-year-old gave birth to a child in December in Kozhikode. George quit as the director of the KCYM last Friday, fearing that the incident will be exposed.